Ernest Samuel Dowdall

In the summer of 1921, a series of articles appeared in a London magazine, entitled "Ireland under the New Terror, Living Under Martial Law". While purporting to be an impartial account of the situation in Ireland, it portrayed the IRA in a very unfavourable light when compared with the British forces. In reality the author, Ernest Dowdall, was an Auxiliary and the series was one of many articles planted by the Dublin Castle Propaganda Department (established in August 1920) to influence public opinion in a Britain increasingly dismayed at the behaviour of its security forces in Ireland.

1893 Jul/Sep born Camberwell, Ernest Samuel Dowdall

1901 census at 188 Cator St, Camberwell with his parents.

1911 census - he is an insurance clerk living with his parents at 26 Kelmore Grove, London S E

1920 Dec 6. Enrolled into F Company (Auxiliary number 1182, RIC 79884). His duties were noted as "visiting Auxiliary Companies and writing special articles and news paragraphs". Dowdall produced a number of articles for publication under the nom de plume 'ADRIC'.

1921 A Times review of the press refers to an article by him in The London on what it is like to live under martial law in Dublin. Entitled 'Ireland under the New Terror" was published in "The London Magazine", formerly the Harmsworth's Monthly Pictorial, in 1921.

Three members of the Auxiliary Division worked under Basil Clarke; Menzies who reported directly to Clarke, and under Menzies Dowdall and Vignoles.

1925 marries Gladys Baker in Wandsworth and they appear to have had 3 children, Ann, Susan and Sally